The story of the day, without a shadow of a doubt, is that Scott Brown has turned down the chance to become the manager of St Johnstone.
Not only is he staying with Ayr United, but he’s also signed a new deal with the club and will be spearheading their campaign to earn promotion this season. So far, it’s been a solid season for Brown, and both he and the club have much to look forward to as it progresses. Brown certainly seems to have a firm grasp on the job.
However, Brown is still at the beginning of what could be a long managerial career, one that will undoubtedly have its ups and downs.
More opportunities will come his way, and it will be up to him to decide which offers match his ambitions and can propel him forward. That’s a tricky process. There are clubs on the rise and others in decline, teams with positive trajectories and those with negative ones. Part of being a successful modern manager is being able to distinguish between the two.
There’s a persistent notion about Brown, one that seems remarkably resilient and widespread, which suggests there’s an inevitability about him one day returning to Celtic Park.
But in reality, nothing is inevitable. This is not some honorary role. Celtic is a major club, and for the past three seasons, we’ve been fortunate to have been coached by elite-level managers. That’s the standard we should aim for, both now and in the future.
If Brown proves himself to be one of those elite managers, then sure, a return to Celtic becomes more plausible. But until then, such talk is not only premature but potentially harmful to his career. People said similar things about Steven Gerrard and Liverpool, which was absurd in my view. Gerrard has done nothing in his managerial career to warrant being considered for that job.
Being a club legend doesn’t entitle you to anything. This strange mindset also surrounded Henrik Larsson, with some assuming an inevitable Celtic return. I always said nothing would give me darker nightmares. I love Larsson, but I am happy with my memories of him and feel very strongly that those memories should be left alone.
The idea that his return would be “box office” didn’t impress me in the slightest. The only thing that would have impressed me was a clear track record of success as a coach.
The same applies to Brown. The only way he comes back to Celtic Park as manager is if he proves he deserves to be there. Suggesting Brown deserves the job simply because of who he is doesn’t do him or the club any favours. Many former Celtic players, including other captains, have gone into management. Neil Lennon managed the club twice, and I doubt you’d find many fans who think he should have had that opportunity a second time. Indeed, I’ve long argued that he shouldn’t have had it the first time either for just this reason; he had done nothing to warrant it.
Paul Lambert was a great Celtic captain and a talented footballer, even holding a Champions League winners’ medal, but as a manager, he’s been dreadful. His appointment, had it ever happened, would have been a disaster. Similarly, nobody talks about what a pity it is that Roy Keane never managed Manchester United. Nobody at that club believes they missed out on anything.
This just illustrates that a great captain doesn’t necessarily make a great manager. Brown being a club legend on the pitch doesn’t mean he’ll be one in the dugout—at least not unless he proves it.
On one thing, though, there’s little doubt: Brown made the right decision turning down the job at St Johnstone. Ayr United is a club that’s on the up, while St Johnstone is in a state. Ayr’s decision to extend Brown’s deal contrasts sharply with St Johnstone’s last managerial hire, Craig Levein, a choice that was as retrograde as they come, and they got what they deserved for it. Ayr United is a far better place for Brown to continue developing his managerial career.
Whether or not you believe his path will eventually lead to Celtic Park, it certainly won’t get him there via Perth. St Johnstone is a club that has lost its way. Hiring Levein was just further evidence of that, and the entire club needs to reassess its direction. Brown might have been a good hire for them, but moving there would have been a terrible decision for him.
There are plenty of future destinations for Brown that will offer him far more than a struggling side like St Johnstone ever could.
Not all struggling clubs are destined to remain that way, though. A bigger job in the Premiership could present itself to him in time, and if he continues to do well, the job at Easter Road seems his for the taking. That feels like the natural next step for Brown—a club where he could genuinely make something happen again. But, of course, timing is everything.
There’s far more potential for Brown at Hibs than there is at McDiarmid Park, assuming he continues his progress with Ayr United first. Signing a new deal with them is the act of a confident manager. At worst, it gives the club a strong position for a solid payoff if the right offer comes his way. And if Hibs come calling, it’s an opportunity that might be too good for him to refuse.
A manager who can get Hibs into Europe and competing in the cups again could well secure an even bigger move before long, possibly one day leading Brown back to Parkhead, the job many believe he was destined for. He will be closer to it in Edinburgh than in Perth.
Good to see Broony doing well at The Honest Men (See there actually are some in Scottish Football and Ayrshire) – ‘Rangers’ (deceased) Sevco and Murray being obvious exceptions…
Despite their caper towards Celtic in The 50’s regarding The Flying of The Tricolour (yeah we haven’t forgotten ya you pair of tramps – Harry Swan and George Graham) – They say to not speak I’ll of the dead but I will if it’s merited and with these two dead tramps it absolutely is) but back on topic – I’ve a soft spot for Hibernian as ma wee granny – God rest her – supported them even though she was a West Coaster…
But it’s a managerial graveyard is Easter Road and Broony would need to be exceptional to counteract that although I very much see the rational behind the thinking in the article…
OFF TOPIC –
Huge CONGRATULATIONS to Celtic Women who just a wee while ago have created history by reaching the last sixteen of The Woman’s Champions League !
Goals by Emma Lawton 52’ and Shannon McGregor 62’ See Celtic progress v Vorskla Poltava 2-0 on the nig and (3-0) on aggregate…
Perhaps an article on These exceptional Ghirls if you ever get a wee spare moment in your busy schedule James ?
Well done Elana and The Ghirls – What a time to be a Hoopyette (if there’s such a word out there) !!!
Well said Clach’, watched the Girls tonight, enjoy watching Celtic at every level and especially when wins are becoming more the norm.
Scott has a long way to goo before he would be considered as a suitable manager for CFC. He really has done nothing yet to prove that his credentials are good enough for any of the major clubs in the SPFL. Ayr United’s start to the season has been encouraging for him but it is the month of May that counts at the end of the season, I hope Ayr and Scotty Bhoy continue their good progress but they still have a long hard road ahead of them. Furthermore, as long as Brendan is in charge at Celtic Park there is no one from any other league in the World good enough to take his place…..long may he reign over us.
Lambert wasn’t a disaster as a manager, he didn’t cut it at the top but done well at Colchester and brilliant at Norwich. As for Celtic appointing Brown, it’s definitely an unnecessary gamble until he has a track record to merit it.
As you say, no one is destined for the Celtic job. It’s far too big for that(no matter how great a player you were fire the club). Hope Broony continues his good work at Ayr Utd and florishes into a top boss. Only after that, then we’ll look at it. HH!
Not sure I agree with Hibs as a better destination than St Johnstone – I’m sure they pay more but Easter Road is the ultimate managerial graveyard at the moment, they have longevity comparable to Chelsea managers! Since they were bought over and the main guy then died there appears to be no strategy or logic to their appointments at all – it looks like they just pick the best bullshitter at interview then sack him at the first sign of trouble. They’ve had six full-time managers in that five year period and have now given it to their regular caretaker manager full-time, which begs the question who will be the caretaker when he inevitably gets sacked? There is certainly a lot of potential at Hibs but unfortunately it’s potential to get sacked very quickly.
St Johnstone are a bit staid and unattractive to outsiders – a classic provincial club – but tend to stick by managers who show any level of competence (Wright was there for seven years and Davidson for three) and the Levein appointment was an uncharacteristic panicky Sam Allardice type of move when it was clear MacLean wasn’t working out and they were heading towards the trapdoor. His appointment also occurred when the club was being sold and relegation would have jeopardised that. By most available metrics for the last decade McDiarmid Park has been a far more stable environment to develop a managerial career than Easter Road because unless you are in immediate danger of relegation you will get time to work.
That said, I agree staying at Ayr is his best option. They clearly have money, they’re doing well and the players he is working with are the ones he has picked rather than Craig Levein’s cast-offs (20 defenders and 2 goalies hahahaha). I wish him well but nothing so far suggests he is a potential elite level manager in the making. Getting Ayr United into the Premiership would be a better first move to progression than either keeping St Johnstone up or spending three months at Easter Road before getting the boot for losing four matches in a row.
“I love Larsson, but I am happy with my memories of him and feel very strongly that those memories should be left alone.”
This is exactly how I feel about Brown, I think you done an article on Ange leaving & how he had the great privilege of leaving the job with the fans wanting more & how rare that is as a manager. If he earns the spot then I’d be delighted for him but it would be a poisoned chalice for any club legend to take the role IMO. They would either fail & be sacked then out with a whimper or you have the even more dangerous potential of him being so desperate to succeed at the club he overstays his welcome like Lennon or of course the result we would all hope for is he becomes the greatest manager in the clubs recent history & sticks around for years of success.
Good article James and to be honest with you I think Scott would say the same